• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.65-67
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• 2004

Dehydroevodiamine (DHED) is one of the bioactive components of the Chinese herbal medicine Wu-chu-yu-tang that has been shown to produce various pharmacological effects. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of DHED after intravenous administration of two doses (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) in anesthetized rats. The plasma concentration of DHED was measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The mean area under the curve of the time-concentration profile was $21.9\;and\;53.9\;{\mu}g{\cdot}min/ml$ after the 2.5- and 5-mg/kg doses, respectively, and the volume of distribution was 1584.9 and 1580.6 ml following 2.5- and 5-mg/kg doses, respectively. Plasma concentration profiles versus time were compatible with a two-compartment model and first-order kinetics. The terminal elimination half-life was $91.8{\pm}16.6\;min$ and $78.7{\pm}11.9\;min$ in the dose of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg, respectively. This is the first report to study the pharmacokinetics of DHED in animals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2017

Shipping activities have become possible in the Arctic Ocean due to melting ice by global warming. An increasing number of vessels are passing through the Arctic Ocean consequently bringing concerns of ship-iceberg collisions. Thus, most classification societies have implemented regulations to determine requirements for ice strengthening in ship structures. This paper presents the simulation results of an ice-strengthened polar class ship after an iceberg collision. The ice-strengthened polar class ship was created in accordance with the Unified Requirements for a Polar-Ship (IACS URI). An elastic-perfect plastic ice model was adopted for this simulation with a spherical shape. A Tsai-Wu yield surface was also used for the ice model. Collision simulations were conducted under the commercial code LS-DYNA 971. Hull deformations on the ice-strengthened foreship structure and collision interaction forces have been analysed in this paper. A normal-strength ship structure in an iceberg collision was also simulated to present comparison results. Distinct differences in structural strength against ice impact forces were shown between the ice-strengthened and normal-strength ship structures in the simulation results. About 1.8 m depth of hull deformation was found on the normal ship, whereas 1.0 m depth of hull deformation was left on the ice-strengthened polar class ship.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2018

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The heavy incidence and severe or lethal damage caused by T. gondii infection clearly indicate a need for the development of an effective vaccine. T. gondii GRA8 is a member of the dense granules protein family and is used as a marker of acute infection. In the present study, we evaluated the protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination based on a recombinant eukaryotic plasmid, pDsRed2-GRA8, against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. BALB/c mice were intramuscularly immunized with the pDsRed2-GRA8 plasmid and then challenged by infection with the highly virulent GFP-RH strain of T. gondii. The specific immune responses and protective efficacy against T. gondii of this vaccine were analyzed by measuring cytokine and serum antibody titers, splenocyte proliferation assays, and the survival times of mice after challenge. Our results showed that mice immunized with pDsRed2-GRA8 demonstrated specific humoral and cellular responses, induced higher IgG antibody titers with predominant IgG2a production; increased levels of IL-10, IL-12 (p70), $IFN-{\gamma}$, $TNF-{\alpha}$, and splenocyte proliferation; and prolonged survival times compared to those of control mice. The present study showed that DNA immunization with pDsRed2-GRA8 induced humoral and cellular immune responses, and all immunized mice showed greater Th1-type immune responses and longer survival times than those of control mice. These results indicated that T. gondii GRA8 DNA immunization induces a partial protective effect against acute toxoplasmosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1427-1431
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• 2016

Background: Potential disadvantages of blood transfusion during curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer have been reported, and the role of peri-operative transfusions remains to be ascertained. Thus, the aim of our study was to survey its impact in patients with gastric cancer undergoinging gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of patients receiving curative gastrectomy at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital were obtained. Findings for pre-operative anemia states, pre-, peri- and post-operative transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) products as well as post-operative complication events were collected for univariate analysis. Results: A total of 116 patients with gastric cancer received gastrectomy at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital from 2011 to 2014. Both pre-operative and intra- and post-operative transfusion of RBC products were markedly associated with post-operative infectious events (OR: 3.70, 95% CI: 1.43-9.58, P=0.002; OR: 8.20, 95% CI: 3.11-22.62, P<0.001, respectively). In addition, peri- and post-operative RBC transfusion was significantly associated with prolonged hospital stay from admission to discharge (OR: 8.66, 95% CI: 1.73-83.00, P=0.002) and post-operative acute renal failure (OR: 19.69, 95% CI: 2.66-854.56, P<0.001). Also, the overall survival was seemingly decreased by peri-operative RBC transfusion in our gastric cancer cases (P=0.078). Conclusions: Our survey indicated that peri-operative RBC transfusion could increase the risk of infectious events and acute renal failure post curative gastrectomy as well as worsen the overall survival in gastric cancer cases. Hence, unnecessary blood transfusion before, during and after curative gastrectomy should be avoided in patients with gastric cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5775-5781
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• 2013

Background: The gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (GEP-NEN) is the most common type of neuroendocrine neoplasm. We summarized data in our centre to investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnostic methods, therapeutic approaches and prognosis for this neoplasm to increase knowledge of this disease in Asian populations. Method: A total of 122 patients treated at Sun Yet-san Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 2000 and December 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Pancreas was the most common site of involvement (65/122, 53.3%); this disease has no special symptoms; positive rates of chromogranin A (CgA) and synaptophysin (Syn) were 81.1% and 87.7%, respectively. The positive rate of Syn had statistical difference among the three grades, but not CgA. Some 68 patients had G1 tumors, 32 G2 tumors and 22 G3 tumors, and Chi-square test showed that higher grading was correlated with worse prognosis (${\chi}^2=32.825$, P=0.0001). A total of 32 patients presented with distant metastasis, and 8 cases emerged during following up. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling showed that the tumor grade (P=0.01), lymphatic metastasis (P=0.025) and distant metastasis (P=0.031) were predictors of unfavorable prognosis. The overall 5-year survival rate was 39.6%, the 5-year survival rate of G1 was 55.7%, and the G2 and G3 were 34.2% and 0%, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors has risen over the last 12 years. All grades of these diseases metastasize readily, and further research regarding the treatment of patients after radical surgery is needed to prolong disease-free survival.